Identity Politics
by Cylars
Summary: After the fall of Voldemort in 1997, Wizarding Britain was heavily divided both geographically and politically. With a weak central governing body in the Ministry of Magic loosely controlling the current two independent regions Duma and Odessa, unification process was beyond reachable.


**Plot Summary and background****: After the fall of Voldemort in 1997, Wizarding Britain was heavily divided both geographically and politically. With a weak central governing body in the Ministry of Magic loosely controlling the current two independent regions Duma and Odessa, unification process was beyond reachable. From having strong blood purity bias to radical ideologies, the two dominions were in stark contrast and almost, poised on the brink of war. Fortunately in 1999, a mysterious group of individuals named SIRI staged a temporary hijack in the Ministry, forcing it to sign a series of documents. In one of the provisions, the Ministry must promulgate a democratic electoral system in which people from Odessa and Duma were entitled to vote for the Minister for Magic in the upcoming November. Tensions were beginning to ease, but will aggressions still be inevitable?**

Disclaimer: I do not own the HP series.

Could humans ever turn back to the right path? Draco Malfoy did not know, but he knew the experience of war ... stunned and shattered some; it enlightened and hardened others. He started to question the legality and the ethics of this interminable warfare as he witnessed the casualties and the devastating results of civilian deaths; some of the faces familiar. People died before him at a significant rate; disorderly piles of dead bodies were crushed under his feet; human blood stained his hands forever. A _war criminal, _he knew he was one right from the very beginning when he acted in collision with his family and the other Death Eaters. He knew the position where he stood and he knew very well that he had to finish this path.

First time in a while he was ordered to patrol the Malfoy Manor cellar. Since his last visit, Draco discovered that there was one additional body occupying the very end of the corner. He could vaguely see a female standing, hands tied up by thick ropes, and leaning against the humid wall. He slowly made his way to the figure, passing the other prisoners, and illuminated this mysterious captive. Then he was shocked to see _her_, Hermione Granger. His face still remained impassive and stared at her expressionless, fatigued countenance flickering above the half-glimpsed light from his lantern. She looked back at him. Their eyes met for a short while, but he broke away as if he was afraid that his Occlumency skills had been suddenly stripped away and she was able to trace his feelings of uneasiness. Indeed, he did not want her to be here, _captured_. She was the brains of the Golden Trio, the leader, to be exact. Like the bullet of a firearm, or the core of a wand, she was too important to be there, trapped and disarmed. Where the hell are Potter and Weasley anyway? Perhaps still on the run. But...

The cellar was mercifully quiet for a good five minutes. Finally, she broke the stony silence in a solemn voice, "Seeing us like this ... why are you _not_ happy?" Her words made him feel crushed for a moment. Something crumbled slightly into fragments inside his heart before he even felt sensible to the pain. With one last look at the prisoners, he turned and left. She whispered something faint as an echo, but he did not look behind and quickly approached the door. The dazzling light flared by the lantern in his hand slowly engulfed his shadow. Hermione's wooden brown eyes followed it until there was only a red blink. The door slammed shut with a loud bang and the secret prison was again filled with horrible darkness.

Draco returned to his room and sat on the armchair, stolid and motionless. He felt a strange bitterness in his heart widened. No longer it was because of astonishment, but his realization that what she said was right. He was _not _happy. Not happy at all! He recalled how many times they had confronted each other in their earlier youths back in Hogwarts. Well, mostly incited by him because of his capriciousness or pure jealousy of the Gryffindors. Looking back, those conceited speech and attitude were merely meant to preserve his own role and status just for the sake of form among his peers. But he knew very well that the damage was being done and neither side could recover, and that had left a huge scar at each other's heart. Still, it was clear to him that he would do nothing. Nothing risky and stupid as helping Granger. It was no use. He was not a hero. He did not want to change yet. He wanted his family and himself to be alive. It was quite understandable, wasn't it?

With the passage of time, the past had reached something like a punctuation, being separated into history from the current stage. The world was in constant motion and constant change, real and brutal. But this certainly was never what he wanted.

(Author's Notes): I have been planning this story for almost three months. As you may have noticed, the story is somewhat focusing on politics. This chapter is a short exposition that will eventually conceive to the more intricate and fascinating plot. Because English is not my first language, I apologize if there are awkward sentences or mistakes in grammar. Please feel free to post a review and continue to follow this story. Thank you for reading. - Cylar


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